Summer just isn’t complete without getting a little wet.

From the idle to the intense, there are several river adventures available for day trips near Athens, offering simple tubing as well as advanced whitewater rafting.

Big Dogs On The River, located on Atlanta Highway in Athens, offers kayaking down the Middle Oconee River. Customers park and are shuttled 15 minutes upstream, then given a boat and paddle to meander their way 3.5 miles downstream at their own pace.

“There’s no other place to do this in town,” said T.J. Stephens, manager of Big Dogs On The River. “We have this beautiful resource right in the middle of Athens that we want to take advantage of.”

Stephens said his company considers itself steward of the Oconee River. Its motto is “keeping it clean and green.”

“We figure if people are enjoying the river, they’ll want to take care of it.” Stephens said.

In Danielsville, just 20 miles outside Athens, the Broad River Outpost offers daily trips down the Broad River. Customers can ride in tandem canoes, whitewater rafts, recreational sit-in kayaks, or stable sit-on-top kayaks.

“The Broad River Outpost operates with an educated and helpful staff to make your tip hassle-free and comfortable,” said Michael Moody, owner of Broad River Outpost. “It’s a world away but only a few miles from Athens.”

Sixty miles from Athens in Helen, University students can find Cool River Tubing. The company offers a one- or two-hour tubing adventure down the Chattahoochee River.

All trips include a tube, life preserver and shuttle service. The company also has dual water slides and lockers to store clothes and valuables while tubing.

“It’s a short distance from Athens, and a great day trip,” said Teri Sims, owner of Cool River Tubing.

Those wanting to get a little further from Athens will the enjoy the Chattooga River, a designated “Wild and Scenic” river about 75 miles away in South Carolina.

Wildwater Rafting offers a range of activities on the Chattooga, including guided beginning, intermediate and advanced whitewater rafting, kayaking, overnight trips and canoeing.

“It’s not a crowd scene; it’s much more of a wilderness trip,” said Jack Wise, CEO of Wildwater Rafting. “The trips are scheduled in such a way that people typically don’t see each other or overlap each other.”

Scenes from the movie “Deliverance” were filmed along the Chattooga, and Wise said one of the distinct features of the river is the lack of human intrusions, such as buildings, roads, or bridges.

UP A CREEK

Middle Oconee River Outfitter: Big Dogs on the River
Where: 2525 Atlanta Highway
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
Price: $15 a person Monday through Thursday; $20 a person Friday through Sunday
Phone: (706) 353-6002
Website: bigdogsontheriver.com

Broad River Outfitter: Broad River Outpost
Where: 7911 Wildcat Bridge, Danielsville  (20 miles from Athens)
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and holidays
Price: $15 a person Monday through Friday; $20 a person Saturday and Sunday
Phone: (706) 795-3242
Website: broadriveroutpost.com

Chattahoochee River Outfitter: Cool River Tubing
Where: 590 Edelweiss Strasse, Helen (63 miles from Athens)
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. everyday
Price: $5 a person; $10 a person with water slide pass; $9 a person for all-day tubing pass
Phone: (800) 896-4595
Website: coolrivertubing.com

Chattooga River Outfitter: Wildwater Rafting
Where: 1251 Academy Road, Long Creek, S.C. (75 miles from Athens)
Hours: Hours vary from trip to trip; refer to website for reservation information.
Price: Prices vary from trip to trip; refer to website for reservation information.
Phone: (800) 451-9972
Website: wildwaterrafting.com